Learning to outsource is one of the biggest lessons a small business owner can make. Far too many will struggle alone, juggling a multitude of tasks and thinking they have no other option. But once you realise being self employed doesn’t necessarily mean you have to do everything alone, you’ll soon find yourself looking for potential solutions – one of which will be hiring a Virtual Assistant. Your next question will then be what tasks can a Virtual Assistant do for me?
And the simple answer is a lot! So if you’re looking for some inspiration around the tasks you can outsource, keep reading.
Get clear on what tasks you want to outsource
As a Virtual Assistant can help you in so many ways, it’s probably easier to start by looking at the tasks you want to outsource. Make a list of all the tasks you carry out in an average week. Next, go through and highlight the tasks only you can do – such as your face-to-face client work. If you want to, you can go through your task list again and highlight the tasks you love doing. Just make sure you’re only highlighting those tasks that are in your zone of expertise and are revenue-generating tasks. Because that’s where your main focus needs to be.
What tasks can a Virtual Assistant do?
Every task on your list that isn’t highlighted is something a Virtual Assistant can do for you. But if you’re looking for a little inspiration or are worried the tasks on your list may not light up a Virtual Assistant, here’s a list of 50 typical tasks a Virtual Assistant can handle.
- Calendar management
- Appointment scheduling
- Filtering emails and setting up folders
- Data entry
- Creating and managing spreadsheets
- Converting files to PDF
- Archiving and sorting your files, folders and documents
- Setting up and organising Dropbox/Google Drive
- Updating CRM contacts
- Sending out surveys
- Answering customer service queries, emails and support tickets
- Setting up and managing chatbots
- Online research
- Preparing and creating lead magnets
- Report creation
- Project management
- Preparing training documents
- Setting up SOPs manuals
- Social media management
- Setting up social media profiles
- Creating and scheduling social media posts and tweets
- Creating pinnable images for Pinterest
- Uploading videos onto YouTube and your course platforms
- Collating and interpreting social media insights
- Editing videos
- Creating and scheduling broadcast emails
- Updating and maintaining your mailing list
- Writing nurture emails
- Writing blog posts
- Editing emails and newsletters
- Editing and uploading blog posts
- Scheduling content
- Keyword research for your website
- Competitor analysis
- Landing page creation
- Sales funnel creation
- Lead generation tracking
- Designing Canva graphics
- Creating sales /opt-in pages
- Installing and updating plugins
- Installing and managing better integrations
- Transcription
- Travel and flight arrangements
- Client follow up
- Team recruitment and outsourcing
- Slideshow preparation
- Minute taking
- Report creation
- Looking for guest podcast/blog opportunities
- Basic bookkeeping tasks
The hardest part is getting started
As you can see, there are a lot of different tasks a Virtual Assistant can do for you. Often though, the hardest part is getting started. It can seem a little daunting, looking for someone to outsource to. But it’s essential that you take the time to do so, as the rewards far outweigh the fears. And once you’ve found the right Virtual Assistant for you, you’ll have not only a cost-effective solution to outsourcing but also someone who’s as invested in your business growth as you are!
If you’re ready to focus on growing your business and want to find the right Virtual Assistant for your business, get in touch. We’re a small team of dedicated, dependable Virtual Assistants and are able to provide a variety of services, designed to help you free up your time and grow your business. So reach out – you’ll find our contact details here.